Thoughts about how to build a social marketing strategy to improve health in Afghanistan. What's worked so far?. What hasn't? One person's journal about returning to this country after five years.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Today at Ganjina

Wednesday, July 28th

Kabul, Afghanistan

Today I am at the halfway point in my project. I finished my draft, submitted it to USAID and then went off to meet with someone at The World Bank. It was liberating to go off in a small, un-armored car with just a driver and a body guard ... and not a caravan of guns. I pulled into the World bank compound, which is beautifully manicured, and for the first time in three weeks, was able to stand outside in the warm summer sun ... feeling the breeze on my hair and listening to birds. I felt like a liberated hostage. I didn't want to leave.

Instead of returning back to the compound after my meeting I asked my driver to take me to Ganjina.

Ganjina is a beautiful craft center tucked away in Kabul. We drove to the gate - went through the usual check for bombs under the car and were ushered into a magnificent garden ... roses, fish ponds, canaries, pine trees and a wonderful grapevine orchard - all leading into a 200 year old building that serves as a showroom for wonderful handmade fashions and crafts. I went inside and tried on sumptuous silk clothes. My bodyguard tagged along ... and seemed to be enjoying himself. He's quite the fashionista. Honestly, he helped me pick out fabric for a wonderful jacket ...and then I selected the silk for embroidery. We left the driver snoozing under the grapes ... with my camera. He took this photo.

About Me

A few years ago my assistant asked me ".. Why does international social marketing always look like s--t?.." Or, as another colleague once defined it, "...Social Marketing is really, really cutting edge advertising ... from 1967 ..."
So why DOES so much social marketing look like a seventh grade home work assignment? Why isn't the advertising industry brought into the international development arena to tackle the worlds' wicked challenges? Why are issues like HIV, Domestic Violence, Malaria Prevention, Safe Sexual Behavior, Childhood Obesity, Avian Influenza and other issues so common in developing countries out-of-reach for talented advertising and public relations firms?
How can we create campaigns that Inspire and Educate?
Join the discussion!